Cognitive: Students will understand that gratitude, even when one doesn’t have much to be grateful for, is important. When one is grateful, it leads to good outcomes. Affective: Students will connect to the fairness element in this story. Because the family was grateful in spite of their circumstances, it seems fair that they would prosper. Behavioral: Students will recount times someone was kind to them and they were grateful. Students will name times when it is appropriate to say, “Thank you.” Students will list things they are grateful for.
Class Session 1
Define any words or concepts they might not understand.
Then read “The Elves and the Shoemaker” aloud as a class. We suggest that you do this through volunteers or have each student read one paragraph, going around the room.
When the story is finished, ask students if they enjoyed the story. Ask them if they wished they had some elves to help them with homework or other chores! Clarify that elves are not real; they are just pretend.
Ask them what they think the author of the story wanted them to learn. Listen to their responses, and if possible, write them down on a chart or on the board. Point out that the moral of the story is that when you are grateful for what you have, then what you have will increase. .
Explain that the moral of a story means the lesson that the story teaches. Ask students what in the story told them that the shoemaker and his family had an attitude of gratitude. Remind them that the shoemaker wasn’t worried, even though they didn’t have enough food and there were no customers. He trusted that something good could happen, and it did!
Ask the students if they think the family deserved help from the elves. Remind them that when one has a grateful heart, even when things are difficult, it’s likely that something good will come along, just as it did in the story.
Ask students if they can remember any other stories that are similar to this one, in which a character in the story had a difficult situation but a good attitude, and then things changed for the better. "Cinderella" and "Snow White" are examples of someone who has a good attitude that leads to good fortune, even though the person is in a difficult situation at first.
Explain how the lesson of a good attitude is demonstrated through those stories. Ask the students what the shoemaker and his wife did to show their gratitude. Remind them that
when someone does a good deed for you, it is important to do something to show your gratitude.
Ask them to think about a time when someone did something nice for them. Did they remember to show gratitude and, if so, what did they do? Allow them to share their stories.
Explain that saying “Thank you” is an important way of showing gratitude and that they should say it every time someone does something for them, even if it is something small. Ask students for examples of times when it is good to say “Thank you.” If they have left out any examples of basic
courtesy, supply them.
Exercise
Sometimes when things are going badly for us, it is good to think of the things we have for which we can be grateful. Next time things are going badly for you, think of the good things that you have. See if being grateful for what you have—even if it is not much—helps you get out of the bad spot, like it did for the shoemaker’s family!
Encourage students to think more about what they have and what they can be grateful for, rather than thinking about what they don’t have and complaining.
Class Session 2
Tell the students that the class is going to make a list of things and people for which they are grateful. First, each student makes his or her own list. Then, together, they can create a class list to post. Suggest that the class list include things like having a classroom, having each other, and having an opportunity to learn together. Tell the students that this list will help them to remember to be thankful for what they have, especially when they want to complain about what they don’t have.
Next, have the students act out the story. Review the story together. Ask student volunteers to recount the story and call upon others to add details or important points missed. Then ask for volunteers to play the shoemaker, his wife, their children, and two elves. The story doesn’t specify the number of children, so many students can play these roles. Other students can volunteer their shoes as props!
Have students make up their own dialogue, consulting beforehand or making it up as they go. Try to give everyone a chance to do something by acting it out more than once, if there is time. Some students may be happy to be the audience. This is a good time to instruct on how the audience needs to clap to show appreciation at the end.
Next, have the students write their answers to the Questions about the story.
Questions
1. Do you think the shoemaker and his family were a nice family? Why do you say so?
2. Do you think they deserved some help from the elves? Why?
3. How did they feel about the help they received?
4. Why did the shoemaker’s wife make clothes for the elves?
5. Do you think the elves would have helped a family that had an ungrateful attitude?
Cognitive: Students will understand that gratitude, even when one doesn’t have much to be grateful for, is important. When one is grateful, it leads to good outcomes.
Affective: Students will connect to the fairness element in this story. Because the family was grateful in spite of their circumstances, it seems fair that they would prosper.
Behavioral: Students will recount times someone was kind to them and they were grateful. Students will name times when it is appropriate to say, “Thank you.” Students will list things they are grateful for.
Class Session 1
Define any words or concepts they might not understand.
Then read “The Elves and the Shoemaker” aloud as a class. We suggest that you do this through volunteers or have each student read one paragraph, going around the room.
When the story is finished, ask students if they enjoyed the story. Ask them if they wished they had some elves to help them with homework or other chores! Clarify that elves are not real; they are just pretend.
Ask them what they think the author of the story wanted them to learn. Listen to their responses, and if possible, write them down on a chart or on the board. Point out that the moral of the story is that when you are grateful for what you have, then what you have will increase. .
Explain that the moral of a story means the lesson that the story teaches. Ask students what in the story told them that the shoemaker and his family had an attitude of gratitude. Remind them that the shoemaker wasn’t worried, even though they didn’t have enough food and there were no customers. He trusted that something good could happen, and it did!
Ask the students if they think the family deserved help from the elves. Remind them that when one has a grateful heart, even when things are difficult, it’s likely that something good will come along, just as it did in the story.
Ask students if they can remember any other stories that are similar to this one, in which a character in the story had a difficult situation but a good attitude, and then things changed for the better. "Cinderella" and "Snow White" are examples of someone who has a good attitude that leads to good fortune, even though the person is in a difficult situation at first.
Explain how the lesson of a good attitude is demonstrated through those stories. Ask the students what the shoemaker and his wife did to show their gratitude. Remind them that
when someone does a good deed for you, it is important to do something to show your gratitude.
Ask them to think about a time when someone did something nice for them. Did they remember to show gratitude and, if so, what did they do? Allow them to share their stories.
Explain that saying “Thank you” is an important way of showing gratitude and that they should say it every time someone does something for them, even if it is something small. Ask students for examples of times when it is good to say “Thank you.” If they have left out any examples of basic
courtesy, supply them.
Exercise
Sometimes when things are going badly for us, it is good to think of the things we have for which we can be grateful. Next time things are going badly for you, think of the good things that you have. See if being grateful for what you have—even if it is not much—helps you get out of the bad spot, like it did for the shoemaker’s family!
Encourage students to think more about what they have and what they can be grateful for, rather than thinking about what they don’t have and complaining.
Class Session 2
Tell the students that the class is going to make a list of things and people for which they are grateful. First, each student makes his or her own list. Then, together, they can create a class list to post. Suggest that the class list include things like having a classroom, having each other, and having an opportunity to learn together. Tell the students that this list will help them to remember to be thankful for what they have, especially when they want to complain about what they don’t have.
Next, have the students act out the story. Review the story together. Ask student volunteers to recount the story and call upon others to add details or important points missed. Then ask for volunteers to play the shoemaker, his wife, their children, and two elves. The story doesn’t specify the number of children, so many students can play these roles. Other students can volunteer their shoes as props!
Have students make up their own dialogue, consulting beforehand or making it up as they go. Try to give everyone a chance to do something by acting it out more than once, if there is time. Some students may be happy to be the audience. This is a good time to instruct on how the audience needs to clap to show appreciation at the end.
Next, have the students write their answers to the Questions about the story.
Questions
1. Do you think the shoemaker and his family were a nice family? Why do you say so?
2. Do you think they deserved some help from the elves? Why?
3. How did they feel about the help they received?
4. Why did the shoemaker’s wife make clothes for the elves?
5. Do you think the elves would have helped a family that had an ungrateful attitude?